“There is no such thing as perfect skin. Let’s just get that out the way,” says aesthetician Shane Cooper, who, from his South Kensington clinic, tends to the complexions of Maya Jama, Sienna Miller and Dan Levy, among others. I am here for facial microneedling to improve the appearance of acne scarring. “It creates controlled micro-injuries in the skin,” Cooper explains, “which stimulate the natural production of collagen and elastin. This helps remodel scar tissue and smooth the skin’s surface.”
My pursuit of perfect skin began at the age of 10, when my first spot appeared. Acne runs in my family. In my teens I was diagnosed with pustular acne vulgaris, a condition that has reappeared throughout my life, causing scarring and redness. I have endured lasers, GP-prescribed topicals, vampire facials – where a doctor reinjected my own blood plasma back into my face – microneedling with and without numbing cream, and repeated positive affirmations in the mirror. I have spent tens of thousands of pounds.
The author Sophie de Rosée
Acne is the eighth most prevalent disease globally, affecting almost one in 10 people. It’s associated with higher rates of depression and suicide. According to the NHS, about 95 per cent of people aged 11 to 30 are affected by acne to some extent. I belong to the 3 per cent of adults who have acne past the age of 35.
